Germany wanted to prevent Greece's former Finance Minister from participating in the controversial event. It was initially unclear how.
Protests against the ban of the “Palestinian Conference” in Berlin at the weekend
Germany has imposed an entry ban on former Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis. This was learned on Sunday by the AFP news agency from security circles. Varoufakis, secretary general of the left-wing pan-European party Democracy in Europe Movement 2025 (Diem25), was due to speak on Friday at the controversial “Palestinian Congress” in Berlin, which was dissolved and banned by police shortly after its start. .
Anyone who spreads “Islamist propaganda and hatred against Jews” should know that such crimes will be prosecuted quickly and consistently, a spokeswoman for the Federal Ministry of the Interior told Taz on Monday. “Anti-Semitic and Islamist crimes will not be tolerated.” The BMI would not say what specifically the 63-year-old Greek economist, politician and former finance minister is accused of. It is “not possible” to provide information on “individual cases.”
Varoufakis is not an isolated case. The Home Office has issued “activity bans” against two other participants in the canceled “Palestinian Congress”, Palestinian author Salman Abu Sitta, 86, and doctor Ghassan Abu Sittah (55), rector of the University of Glasgow. . Ghassan Abu Sittah was denied entry to Berlin airport on Friday and had to take a return flight after a three-hour conversation. Varoufakis was not the only prominent guest who was unable to speak at the conference. Also announced was the former Spanish minister of equal opportunities, Irene Montero, of the left-wing Podemos party.
Cooperation between security authorities.
The taz reported on Saturday that an “activity ban” may have been issued against Varoufakis. Varoufakis himself wrote on the online network. This applies even to participation in online events, for example via the Zoom network. Police informed his lawyers on Friday. The Federal Ministry of the Interior did not want to confirm this to the Taz on Saturday. An “activity ban” would not be legally possible against EU citizens.
This is what security circles learned on Sunday. Handelsblatt, which should be an entry ban. Federal and state security authorities “had already been in close contact in the run-up to the so-called Palestinian Congress” and “took the necessary measures,” the BMI spokeswoman told the taz. Decisions about entry are made on site.
Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser banned Hamas and the Samidoun prisoner network in November 2023. “This means: Any activity is prohibited and is a criminal offense. This also includes Hamas propaganda speeches,” the BMI explained in relation to the taz consultation. “Security authorities are monitoring very closely to ensure that the bans are enforced. “We are closely following the Islamist scene.”
Protests against the ban on meetings
Berlin police dissolved the controversial “Palestinian Congress” shortly after its start on Friday. The organizers had just booked author Salman Abu Sitta as a speaker. The police explained that he had been prohibited from carrying out political activities and why they broke into the room, cut off the electricity and shortly afterwards broke up the meeting. He also announced a total ban on the event for Saturday and Sunday. According to police, up to 1,900 people gathered in central Berlin on Saturday to protest against the violent break-up of the conference.
The organizers harshly criticized the police's actions. Democratic rights were said to have been undermined. Lawyer Nadija Samour said at a press conference on Saturday that the police had made a “completely disproportionate” decision. Minor measures were possible. Any attempt to protect the meeting was torpedoed by the police. There were no criminal statements, which the police also admitted.
The organizer was not aware of the ban on activities and had only been informed shortly before. From the organizers' point of view, the police action was illegal. A protest was lodged with the police so that the meeting, which was actually scheduled until Sunday, could continue.